Red
by SheeWolf85
Summary: Renesmee is on a journey to find information about her mother and her abilities. Along the way, she comes across a species she's heard many warnings about. Who knew half-vampires and werewolves could become such good friends? AU where Bella is not Ness' mom, Cullens and wolves are very different, but the treaty still stands. J/N sorta, T to be safe
1. Chapter 1

A/N: So, a few quick notes before we get started. First, I have been out of the Twilight and J/N scene for a long time. I apologize if this is an overdone premise.

Second, I told myself that if I was going to post anything Twilight or J/N related, it had to be _In This Skin_. Unfortunately, muses did not cooperate with me. Instead, they decided to focus their attention on this and other plot bunnies I've been writing since early 2010. I've done some editing on it, mostly punctuation kind of things, but what you're reading is nine years in the making. I've got about eight chapters written, and I hope to update every week or so.

And, lastly, some shameless self-promotion. I've recently gotten into the Undertale fandom and written some fun things for it. Check them out? I'm currently updating _Love and Monsters_ every Sunday and posting oneshots as I write them.

With that, I hope you enjoy this story.

* * *

 **RED**

 **Chapter One**

The girl shivered as she stumbled over the thick carpet of leaves and sticks on the forest floor. She hoped she was going in the right direction. She could have sworn she passed that tree before. Then again, all the trees looked the same in the dark. Each one covered in moss that would be green if it was light, and each one dark and threatening.

She tightened her grip on her basket and bundled the cloak around her tighter. The chill in the air caused her to shiver again.

She stopped and looked around, trying to find any identifying marker so she could know she was at least on the right trail. The trees seemed closer and more ominous than they had a half an hour ago. The full moon was bright but somehow offered no real light; instead it cast menacing shadows all around her.

The quiet chirping of crickets was accompanied only by the sound of her breathing and occasionally a small animal skittering after its late-night meal. The near silence made her ears sensitive to each sound, and she whipped her head around when she heard an animal scurry up a tree.

 _Just stay calm,_ she thought to herself. _It can't be much further._

She took a deep breath and the sound nearly echoed around her. Closing her eyes tightly, she forced her feet to move, walking slowly in the direction she'd been going for the last hour. The sound of her feet squishing the damp mulch was somehow comforting, and she pushed herself on.

 **~*~RED~*~**

He watched as she stopped walking and looked around as if trying to get her bearings. He crouched down to be hidden in the trees as he watched her. He'd never seen her before and wondered what she was doing. Nobody in this area ventured into the woods after dark unless they were up to something, and it usually involved trouble.

She looked harmless enough—a young woman around nineteen years in a red hooded cloak carrying a basket. He could smell something sweet coming from her direction and assumed she was carrying muffins or something similar. He kept an eye on her anyway to make sure she didn't cause trouble or get into any. He had a duty to protect her if she needed it, or to stop her if she tried anything funny.

She began walking again, and he stood up, quietly following her.

 **~*~RED~*~**

 _There's nothing out here; it's just my imagination._

Her heart quickened its pace as she tried to ignore the virtually soundless footsteps a few yards behind her that may or may not have been in her head. She tried to console herself with thoughts of conquering other animals. She wasn't like most people. Even as different as she was, she could still be hurt. She wasn't as strong as she let on, and she could be overpowered by larger forest animals. She closed her eyes as they watered. She didn't want to admit that she really was lost with something following her.

It didn't sound human, whatever it was. Even with the hushed steps, she could tell they were heavy and that there were more than two feet hitting the ground. A mountain lion maybe, although it sounded bigger than that.

She knew, even as she tried to convince herself otherwise, that it was not her imagination. If there had been other noises to disguise the sound—birds chirping or people talking, anything besides the crickets and her own footsteps—she might not have been able to hear them so easily.

She stopped, and the other steps stopped as well. Turning in a slow circle, she peeked out from under her hood to see what it was. Nothing moved. Nothing sprang out from some concealed hiding place. But twenty yards behind her, she could barely make out a large shape crouched down in the trees. It was too dark to see what it was, but it was big. From what details she could see, it looked furry. Her eyes widened, and she kept turning, hoping to see something else that could have been making the sounds.

There was nothing else. She swallowed hard as her heart kicked up speed again. She wondered if maybe the animal was after the smell coming from her basket. She contemplated taking something out and leaving it, but she wasn't sure if that would cause it to leave her alone or get aggressive to have more.

She decided to keep her provisions to herself and held the basket closer as she started to walk. A minute later, the whispered footsteps began following her again. She picked up her pace, not sure what she was hoping for. Was she hoping she'd find what she was looking for or that the animal would stop following her? The steps behind her didn't move faster; they kept their pace following her almost leisurely.

A change in the scent and sounds around her alerted her that she was coming close to a river. She sniffed the air and calculated its distance at seven yards ahead. She kicked up her pace again, knowing she was going in the right direction now. The man she spoke with mentioned a river.

When she reached the water, she gathered her cloak up and stepped lightly on the stones allowing her passage without getting wet. On the other side, she ignored the desire to turn around and see if the animal had followed her across. The footsteps gave it away, anyway. She took a deep breath and decided it would be best to get her mind off of the animal. If it was going to eat her, it should have done it by now.

"Over the river and through the woods," she sang quietly to herself; her voice wavered and sounded too loud in contrast to the quiet night. She kept going anyway. "To grandfather's house we go. The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh through the white and drifted snow, oh…"

She stopped and listened for a moment, hoping the animal had lost interest. It hadn't, and the footsteps still followed. She continued singing, hoping to ignore the animal until she found what she was looking for. If the others were there, they could scare it away or possibly eat it.

 **~*~RED~*~**

He crouched down again as she stopped and began to turn slowly. She stopped, facing him and he watched her face closely in the ineffective light. Her eyes widened, and he wondered if she could see him. She kept turning, her face a mix of fear and concentration. He couldn't make out many features in the available light, but he could tell that she had long red hair and her skin was pale. He guessed that the moonlight made her appear more pallid than usual, because she looked almost too pale to be human. He didn't move until she started to turn again.

She began walking again, clutching her basket as if she thought someone might try to steal it. He followed her still, more intrigued now than anything. He just wanted to know where she was going.

She crossed over the river, and he hesitated. He wasn't _supposed_ to cross the water. It was the unofficial boundary line, and everyone knew it. But if this girl didn't know where she was going, he had to be there to protect her. If she _did_ know, well, he had to know how she knew. Her heartbeat and pleasant odor gave away instantly that she did not belong here.

He crossed the river silently and continued to follow her. She began singing softly, her voice hesitant. She would stop every now and then and she seemed to be listening for something.

He wanted to warn her when he caught the scent. He wanted to grab her and run with her, so she wouldn't be put in any danger. The creatures in this area could appear normal enough when they wanted, but they often came out of hiding at night when the rest of the world was supposed to be sleeping. He followed more cautiously, keeping his ears perked and his eyes focused around him. He scented the air every few seconds, staying on his toes.

 **~*~RED~*~**

The air changed again, and she was almost relieved when she caught the sweet scent she'd only smelled a few times in her life. She smiled slightly to herself, wondering what the animal behind her thought of the new scent. It stayed behind her, clearly not scared by the scent that should have been a warning to it.

She felt better knowing she was at least close to finding what she'd set out for. The scent was old, but she followed it anyway, allowing herself to move faster as she sniffed every few seconds. The animal kept pace with her this time, and she struggled to keep herself from running or turning to see it.

 _Hello?_ she thought loudly. Someone was sure to hear her if they were close. _I'm friendly; I was told someone here might know about my mother._ _There's something following me, and I'm scared._

She waited, hoping to hear something back. She had a talent for speaking with people through thought. She could project her thoughts into someone else's mind and hear them if they responded to her. There was no response, and after a moment her heart dropped as fear crept through her chest again. Someone had to be here. If no one was here, she would be alone with the animal. She would die.

 _Help!_ she tried again.

There was still no response, and she heard the animal moving closer to her, getting louder. Her throat started close with panic. She saw something in the woods that looked like a house and launched herself into a run, terror constricting her body and forcing her forward at her full speed. She reached the house in less than a few seconds and still heard no answer from anyone that might be in the area. She stopped, breathing heavily as she looked up at the house. There were no lights on, but she knew there wouldn't be. Even if anyone was home, there would be no lights. Vampires had no need for them.

The footsteps from the animal caught her attention and she turned around quickly. She realized suddenly that whatever it was that had followed her was not a normal animal. There was no way any normal animal could have kept up with her. They had underestimated each other.

She scanned the trees around her, looking for any sign of inhabitants or the animal. The trees stood close together and offered no sign of either. She swallowed and turned back to the house, slowly climbing the steps.

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A/N: It's okay if you're confused. I promise things will become clearer as this goes on. I also promise the little shifts won't happen as often. It is very, very AU, if you can't tell.

Thank you for reading! Reviews are lovely. Also, I'm on Twitter, SheeWolf85


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I'm not sure if this chapter answers any questions from chapter one, but let's see what y'all think.

* * *

RED

Chapter Two

She was moving faster now, and he kicked up his pace to keep up with her. He didn't want to fall too far behind in case the creatures found her. Honestly, he was surprised that they hadn't attacked yet. If not her, they should have attacked him. He was on their territory, which was against the rules of both sides. He sent a silent message to his pack, warning them that he may need support if the creatures showed.

The girl's heart rate picked up tremendous speed and he focused his senses again in case she'd seen or heard something he'd missed. There was nothing other than the faded scent indicating that the creatures had been here, but not recently.

She suddenly began running, disappearing through the trees, and he immediately ran with her. He called to his pack again, harsher this time. This girl was not human. She was too fast to be human; she ran like one of _them_.

She stopped suddenly near the house he'd only ever seen once before. The Haunt, as he called it. She flung herself around, staring right in his direction. He crouched down and held his breath.

His Beta entered his mind, telling him silently that they were on their way. He stayed crouched down even after she turned back and started ascending the stairs to the Haunt.

 _The Haunt?!_ his Beta called in his mind. _Are you insane, Jake?_

He didn't answer; just demanded that they get there as fast as possible. This girl was not something they knew and did not have a right to be on either side.

 _So, we're helping_ them _now?_ his Beta asked, revulsion dripping in each syllable of the thought.

 _No, Sam,_ he thought sternly to his Beta. _You're doing what I tell you to do._

The pack crossed the river and ran to join their Alpha, treading carefully as they neared the Haunt.

 _What are we going to do?_ Sam asked.

 _We're going to wait here and see what she does._

 **~*~RED~*~**

She twisted the handle on the door slowly, hoping she didn't startle anyone that might live here.

"Hello?" she whispered aloud. "Is anyone here?" Nobody answered, and she could tell from the faded scent that vampires had been there at one time, but none were there now. She didn't know what to do as she closed the door behind her and looked around.

She found herself in a room with a dark red couch against one wall and two matching overstuffed chairs sitting across from it. There was a fireplace that looked like it had never been used and a wooden coffee table in between the chairs and the couch. The walls were wooden and bare and somehow accentuated the emptiness of the place. There was a kitchen off to the right and she walked slowly, listening carefully for any sounds of the animal or vampires. She heard nothing, and she wondered if she would even be able to hear the animal through the walls of the house.

She set her basket on the counter and looked around. The kitchen looked normal enough, yet strangely out of place in a house that should have housed vampires. She opened a cupboard and wasn't surprised to find it completely empty. Her stomach growled painfully, and she wished she would have been able to hunt when she was outside. She was too afraid to go out there now with the animal so close to her. She could hunt small animals, but the larger ones could kill her if she wasn't careful. She preferred to avoid the possibility and stick to the animals she knew she could easily overpower.

She pulled a muffin out of her basket and took a bite. After all, she had brought them to have something to eat if she got tired of meat.

She ate the treat, listening carefully to try to hear anything happening outside. She walked back to the living room with muffin in hand and took off her cloak, laying it over the back of one of the chairs. She sat down in the chair, looking down at her jeans. She closed her eyes tightly for a moment, trying to figure out what she was going to do if no vampires ever showed.

She set her muffin on the wooden coffee table and stood up to look around again. There was a hallway to the left of the living room that led down to two bedrooms and a closet. There was a couch in one bedroom and a bookcase in the other, but no other furniture that she could see. Each room held the same sweet scent, so faded that if she didn't know what she was looking for, she might not even know it was a vampire that had stayed here. She wondered how long the vampires had been gone. The man she'd spoken to before hadn't said when he had last seen them; just that he knew they'd been in the area.

She sighed and picked a book off the bookshelf and dusted it off gently. The pages were stiff, and she carefully opened it. It was obvious that the books hadn't been used in a while. She took the book back out to the living room with her and set it on the coffee table next to her muffin and regarded the fireplace. It was starting to get cold, and she wasn't used to being cold. She wished she could start a fire, but she would need wood or something to burn to do it.

She took another bite of her muffin and turned to the window. She listened carefully, trying to hear any sounds from outside, as she lifted the side of the curtain slightly, only barely enough to grant her a peek outside.

The woods were the same as they had been when she'd entered the house. Dark, foreboding trees that hid whatever was lurking behind them. She shivered and turned away from the window, moving back to the chair. She took her cloak off the back of the chair and wrapped it around her, picking up the book and her muffin, trying to get comfortable as she opened the book and began reading.

 **~*~RED~*~**

 _Are we staying here all night?_ Sam asked, crouching down beside him.

 _You and I are, yes. The others can leave, but we need to keep watch. There's something not right with that girl._

Sam nodded and listened as the others ran back home, leaving their minds as they shifted forms.

 _Maybe she's a hybrid,_ Sam suggested, mockery filling the mental tone.

Jake laughed, the sound a thick huff in his chest. The more he thought about it, the more it actually made sense. _How, though?_

Sam mentally shrugged his shoulders. _What do we know about her? Let's try to figure this out._

Jake nodded. _She's got a heartbeat, so she's got some human in her. I couldn't get a great look at her face, but it sure didn't look like her eyes were red or gold._

 _Sounds like she's eating something, too,_ Sam added.

 _Smells like muffins. She doesn't know this area extremely well; on our side she looked lost. She wandered around for a good forty-five minutes before she found the river and her fear was plain as day. But she knows what she's looking for and I've no doubt that she at least knows what lives here._

Sam nodded. _Where are they, anyway?_

 _No clue, but I'm glad they're not here._

Sam agreed.

As they listened closely to the sounds of the girl inside the house, they thought over several possibilities.

 _Do you hear that?_ Jake asked suddenly.

They were both quiet as they listened intensely. _It sounds like she's snoring_ , Sam offered.

Jake huffed. _She sleeps. Interesting. You should try to get some, too. I'll wake you when it's your turn to watch._

Sam nodded and laid his head down on his paws. They'd figure this thing out; he just hoped it didn't mean there was a new race of leeches to war against.

* * *

Thanks for reading! I'd love to know your thoughts.

I'm on Twitter at SheeWolf85


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Sorry this is so late. FFN wouldn't let me upload any documents, so I couldn't post the new chapter! At least it didn't take too long to work again. I hope you all enjoy!

* * *

RED

Chapter Three

She woke up with a start. She was lying on the chair, her arms curled around herself and her book on the floor where she'd dropped it the night before. She yawned and started to sit up, stretching as she moved. She hadn't meant to fall asleep, but her exhaustion got the best of her.

Everything was much brighter than it had been when she fell asleep and she realized that it was daytime now. She'd survived the night.

She smiled to herself as she picked up the book and put it back on the coffee table. She was still nervous about the animal and she peeked through the curtain to see if she could see anything now that it was light.

Despite the light, all of the colors still seemed subdued. The sky was one pale shade of gray, and the trees and leaves seemed much less vibrant than she had pictured through the man's thoughts.

Unlike last night, she could see through the trees now and she scanned the area outside of her window. She saw no trace of any animals and breathed a sigh of relief as she grabbed her cloak from the chair she'd slept in and secured it around her shoulders. She pulled the hood on as she made her way to the kitchen to unload her basket. She took the treats out and arranged them on the counter before picking up the basket and heading to the door.

She stopped once she hit the ground and listened closely for any sounds that didn't belong here. She scanned the trees and sniffed the air. She caught the scent of the place; damp, dead leaves and dirt, cold air, and morning; but there was something else she couldn't place. It reminded her of last night. It had a bitter undertone, but it was smooth and warm. It wasn't one she'd ever smelled before.

She didn't see anything, and she started walking slowly toward the trees.

 _If any vampires are here, please come out. I promise I'm no threat._ She decided it worth an effort even if she was unlikely to get an answer.

After a few minutes with no response, she sighed and focused on finding something to eat. She found a few raccoons and crouched down silently, watching them as they played with each other on a fallen tree. She waited for the right moment to pounce, grabbing the animal easily and snapping its neck so it felt no pain. She carried the carcass to her basket, setting it inside for later. It was a large one and she didn't have room for much more. She figured she'd find a few chipmunks and call it good.

She picked up the basket and started looking around for more animals when she heard the footsteps again. They were louder this time, whatever it was not being so careful in the light.

She turned swiftly and gasped when she saw a large black animal disappear into the trees. Fear knifed through her and she decided she was done hunting. She nearly dropped the basket as she ran at her top speed back to the house and dashed inside.

Breathing heavily, she set the basket on the floor in the kitchen and sat down next to it. Her eyes started to water; she knew she was in trouble. She didn't know what animal she'd seen, but she did know it was huge and it was not a bear. No bear could be so quiet or move so quickly.

 _Please! Anybody,_ she pleaded helplessly. She contemplated going home, but she was too scared to leave the house now. She didn't know how she'd made it here with the animal following her almost the whole way, but she did know that she stood a slim chance of fighting it off if it attacked her.

 **~*~RED~*~**

 _Sam! What the hell?_ Jake demanded. _She saw you!_

 _Did you see what she did, Jake? She killed the raccoon and put in the damn basket._ Sam shuddered and crouched down as he listened to the girl's heartbeat pounding faster than he'd thought a heart could pound.

 _She was hunting, idiot. She apparently doesn't hunt like the other ones._ Jake rolled his eyes mentally and listened to the girl in the house. He felt bad for her; she was so terrified.

 _Are you crazy, Jake? You can't go feeling bad for the enemy. War's over and you forfeit as soon as you do._

 _She is at least part human, Sam. We're straddling the line of war._ He knew that didn't give him an excuse to have mercy for her.

Sam huffed, but he knew Jake was right. She wasn't officially their enemy unless she was a danger to the humans in the area.

 _Help!_

Jake stood up and looked over at Sam. _Did you hear that?_ he asked.

 _Hear what?_ Sam stared at Jake, confused.

 _Someone just called for help._ He could have sworn he heard it, but Sam should have heard it too.

Sam laughed. _You sure you're not just losing it?_

Jake glared at Sam and sniffed the air. Fear permeated every scent, but he knew it belonged to the girl in the house.

 _Someone help me please!_

 _Are you sure you can't hear that?_ Jake asked, looking over at Sam. It wasn't any member of the pack.

 _You can hear my thoughts as much as I can hear yours, Jake. I don't hear anything, and you know I'm not lying._

Jake nodded. He knew he couldn't be imagining it, but Sam couldn't hear it even through his thoughts. He didn't understand it, but it seemed that maybe someone out there was able to contact him the way he contacted his pack. He decided to answer it and see what happened.

 _Where are you?_ he asked, not expecting to hear anything.

 **~*~RED~*~**

Sitting on the kitchen floor next to her basket, she knew she had to do something. She could either sit in the house and wait for a vampire to come – if they ever did – or she could take action. She obviously couldn't take on the animal, but she could try to call for help. Out of desperation, she decided to try something new. She didn't hold out hope that it would work, but it would be better than screaming for help out loud and causing the animal to attack.

 _Help!_ she screamed mentally. She focused on expanding her mind, encompassing everything she could within a mile. She felt something, a strange presence. Terror and excitement rippled through her; had she made contact?

 _Help!_ she called again, praying for an answer from the presence. She could feel it, and she wondered if they were close. What if she could feel it, but it couldn't hear her?

 _Someone help me please!_ she cried, desperate.

 _Where are you?_

She gasped and pulled herself back around her mind. She tentatively expanded her mind again, searching out the presence. She stopped as soon as she found it. Her stomach churned; it was close. Too close. What if the animal found it?

 _I'm in the woods. There's an animal outside. Please help._

There was no answer for a minute. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes tightly; focusing on the presence and praying the animal couldn't sense it too.

 _Calm down. I can help you, but I need to know where you are. Look around you and tell me what you see._

The voice in her head was masculine and powerful. She thought maybe a policeman or soldier. She opened her eyes and realized that nothing in the house was going to help him find her. She crawled over to the window and peeked out, looking for something that was different from the rest of the forest.

 _There's a sort of a clearing and a large rock about a hundred yards away._

 _Are you near the house?_ The voice was worried as if it knew about the animal outside.

 _I'm in the house._

 **~*~RED~*~**

Jake stopped and stared at the house.

 _What is it, Jake?_ Sam asked, on edge from the shock coming from his Alpha.

 _She's in the house._

In _the house? With it…the girl?_

 _No, Sam… she is the girl._ Jake stood up and shook the dirt off of his fur. _Stay calm,_ he said to the girl. _I'm coming._

 _Please be careful,_ she pleaded, her thoughts frantic. _There's something out there. I don't know what it is, but it's big. Just please be careful._

Jake realized that she was talking about Sam, who was nervous about Jake going into the clearing near the house.

 _Don't worry. There's nothing out here that will hurt you. Trust me._

 **~*~RED~*~**

 _Trust me._

She didn't want to; she didn't know who this person was. But she found that she was too comforted by the fact that she was not alone to care. She did trust him, and she told him so.

 _Good. Look out the window, and don't be afraid._

She licked her lips and took a deep breath before turning to peek through the curtain again. She didn't understand why she would be afraid until she saw an enormous, russet-colored wolf sitting ten feet from the window, just looking at her. She gasped and turned back around, pushing her back into the wall.

 _Go away! You'll get hurt if you come closer. It's out there, watching the house._ She couldn't stand the thought of this other person getting hurt trying to help her.

 _Please don't be scared. I won't hurt you. What's your name?_

She tried to calm her breaths and squeezed her eyes shut. _Renesmee._

 _I'm Jake. We have something in common, you know._

She shook her head; why wasn't he leaving? The presence was so close in her mind, she felt like she could touch it. He was going to get eaten.

 _Neither of us is entirely human._

Her eyes widened, and she gasped again.

 _You're a half-human?_ she demanded.

 _Sort of. I'm a werewolf._

Her heart stopped, and she was encompassed with dread. The wolf was the presence.

 _Please don't kill me_ , she begged, even her thoughts tight with panic.

 _I'm not going to kill you. You're safe, I promise. But I would like to talk to you in person. Will you come out?_

She shook her head and pulled her mind back into itself. She didn't dare move. She knew what werewolves did; the man she'd talked to had told her that they killed vampires and to watch out for them. He had said the only reason the other vampires were allowed here was because of some ancient agreement that this Jake person obviously didn't know about. If he did, he wouldn't be on this side of the river. Unless he knew that the vampires were gone. She was only half vampire, but she knew that was enough. His instincts would override any desire to protect her human side and he'd kill her.

Her eyes filled with tears as she chastised herself for reaching out. If she hadn't, she could still be blissfully unaware of just how close she really was to death.

* * *

A/N: Thank you for reading! I'd love to know your thoughts!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: We're finally getting somewhere! Thank you guys for sticking with me. New rules take a minute to explain before we can get to the good stuff.

* * *

RED

Chapter Four

Jake sighed to himself and tried to talk to her, but she didn't answer.

 _What's she saying now?_ Sam asked curiously. He'd wanted to tell Jake to come back when he sat in front of the house, but he wasn't Alpha, and he couldn't say anything about it.

 _Nothing. She's gone now._ He sat there in front of the house, listening to her heart hammering in fear and her breath shuddering as she cried. _But she knows about us._

He got up and walked back to the woods to sit next to Sam. He wasn't happy about making her so scared, but he figured it was probably inevitable.

 _I'm going to talk to her._ Jake stood up and Sam stepped in front of him.

 _I am not stopping you, Jake, but are you sure that's the best idea? She could kill you._

 _She's so afraid of me she can't even breathe. I want to find out what she is, how she knows about this place, and what she's doing here. I can't do that without talking to her. She obviously won't talk to me as a wolf, but maybe she will if I'm a human._

Sam sighed and nodded. He didn't want to admit that Jake was right. _Just…be careful._

Jake acknowledged and changed to his other form. Pulling the pants from a rope tied around his ankle, he dressed and patted Sam's shoulder.

"Don't worry, Sam. I'll be fine." He knew he would.

As he walked to the house, he tried to find her with his thoughts. He had no idea how she spoke to him and wondered if it was something that could only be done when he was a wolf.

He'd never been out here as a man and he found himself instinctively ducking down to try to conceal himself in the trees. He climbed the steps quietly, testing each step to avoid any that might squeak. He hesitated once he reached the door, then gave up and knocked.

He heard her scrambling inside, her heart rate spiking again.

 _Go away!_

He smiled when he heard her thoughts screeching in his head.

 _Please talk to me. I'm not a wolf now and I promise I won't hurt you._

He could feel her hesitation before she reacted.

 _What do you want?_

He knocked on the door again. "I want to help you," he said aloud, hoping she would calm down if she could hear a physical voice.

 _You're a werewolf; I'm a half-vampire. You don't want to help me._

"You're half human, too. And yes, I do. How do you know about this place?"

 _None of your business._

Her heart rate was coming down slowly and he sat down on the porch near the door. "True, but I'd still like to know."

 _Too bad. You know you're not even supposed to be out here._

"Yes, I do know that. Are you supposed to be out here?"

 _Yes._

Jake was intrigued but wanted to get the conversation off of the agreement. "What were you hunting earlier?" he asked.

 _Raccoon. Wait, you're red, right? I saw something black. Is there another one?_

"Yes, there is another one. He's my Beta and he won't hurt you either."

 _Beta?_ Her thought was laced with confusion.

"I'm the alpha of the pack; the leader. He's second in command."

He could sense her understanding and smiled to himself. He hoped this was establishing some kind of trust between them.

 _Was it you or him that was following me last night?_

"It was me. I didn't know what you were; I thought you were just a girl out in the woods at night and I wanted to make sure you stayed safe. It wasn't until you took off running that I knew you weren't human. Or at least not completely."

Renesmee scooted closer to the door, knowing he was right on the other side. She found herself comforted by the sound of his voice and although she tried not to fool herself, she knew she was relaxing. His presence was strong in her mind and she could hear both his thoughts and his voice.

 _Are there more than just the two of you?_ she asked. She didn't know why she didn't want to speak.

"There are," his voice was soft and patient and she scooted a little closer to the door again. "But they're not here. All together, there are eight of us."

 _If I open the door, will you stay outside?_ She didn't know if she would actually open the door, but she wanted to see if his thoughts and spoken words matched.

"I won't come in unless you invite me."

She nodded to herself. She believed him and she felt a strange pull to open the door. She wanted to see him.

Jake held his breath when he heard her inside. It sounded like she was close to the ground, maybe sitting like he was. He could tell her hands were shaking from the way the handle hesitated as it turned.

 _I'm going to open it,_ she warned. He smiled to himself and waited.

The door opened slowly and he watched her peek around it cautiously. Her red hood fell around her face, but he could see strands of auburn hair peeking out from under it. Her skin was paler than any normal human, but it was still darker than a leech's. Her eyes were huge and brimming with tears that he assumed were from fear. He noted the dark brown color, so normal that he wouldn't have ever suspected anything if he didn't know better.

"Hi," he said.

She stared at him; he was not what she expected. Although she knew he wasn't in a wolf form, she didn't think he'd be handsome. She pulled her mind back before he could catch on to her thoughts.

"Hi." Her voice was a whisper, but she knew he'd hear her. He smiled and her fear began to subside. She looked him over, noticing how the contours of his face and his russet skin resembled the wolf inside him. It was something she found surprisingly appealing and she opened the door a little wider to get a better look. His eyes were dark brown, almost black.

"See? I won't hurt you." He leaned forward slightly, resting his hands on the smooth wood.

She nodded a little, carefully acknowledging that she believed him.

"Why are you here?" she asked.

"To find out what you are," he answered truthfully.

"Why do you want to know?" she narrowed here eyes.

"Because this area is under my pack's supervision, even if it is their side. It's my job to know what passes through here."

She nodded, looking down at his hands on the porch. "I'm half human and half vampire," she looked back up and met his eyes. "I was trying to find the vampires that lived here."

"How have I never seen you? Have you been out here before?" Jake furrowed his brow, trying to keep his voice even.

She shook her head slowly. "I've never been here before. I was told by another vampire that the ones here might know something about my mother. She died when I was born. I… I killed her." She looked down, ashamed of what she couldn't control. "Whoever created me never came back for me. I don't know who my father was or even who my mother was. I just know she was pretty and she had brown eyes like me."

Jake nodded, but she didn't look back up at him. "The vampire who told you about this place – he didn't know what happened?"

She shook her head and looked back up into his face. "No. There are others of my kind, and he created the ones I know of. But he didn't know about me until I ran into his son. He said he had once talked to someone from here whose son had fallen in love with a human and married her. I don't know if that's where I'm from, or what it means if it is."

He pursed his lips. "I admit I've never met any of the vampires here; they never come on our land and we never… well, generally never come on their land."

She nodded. "I just wish I knew something."

He nodded and wished he could comfort her somehow. "Do you live with the others like you?"

She nodded. "There are three others like me that I've met. The vampire that I was telling you about, his name is Johan. He made two daughters and a son; I stay with his son, Nahuel, and Nahuel's aunt Huilen. Johan and his daughters Evangelina and Mariangela visit, but it's not often."

"So, is the son your... mate or something?"

She shook her head. "No, it's not like that. I'm not bound to him or anything; it's just that I hate being alone and being with him and his aunt makes me feel like I have some kind of family. Neither of them hunt humans the way Johan and his daughters do. After killing my mother… I just can't do it." She bit her lip, hoping she wasn't getting too personal.

Jake nodded.

"What about you?" she asked, raising her head a little. "How did you become a werewolf? Were you changed somehow?"

He smiled. "Nope. It's all in the bloodlines. I was born into it."

Somehow, she liked that they had that in common too. It wasn't the same, but it was similar. "Do you or any of the other wolves have any special abilities?"

"We can hear each other's thoughts when we're in wolf form, but other than that and changing form, no. How do you do that that anyway? Talking to me through your thoughts?"

She shrugged. "It's a gift."

He chuckled. "Obviously. Are you the only one who can do stuff like that?"

She bit her lip and shook her head. "No. I'm the only one that I know of, but Johan says that others can have special gifts. He once knew someone who could see the future, and someone who could change the emotional climate around him. It's another reason I'm here; I want to know more about my gifts."

Jake nodded. "I wonder if any of the vampires here had any special talents."

She nodded, wondering the same thing. "Do you know how many vampires were here?"

"There were five when the original treaty was created, but the coven has grown since then. They say they haven't created any of the vampires, but they were just nomads who joined the family. The last time we counted, there were eight."

She nodded and looked out over the woods. The black wolf she'd seen before was sitting in the tree line, and she sucked in a breath and started retreating.

Jake looked around to see what she'd seen. He narrowed his eyes at Sam before turning back to her.

"Wait," he said, putting his hand on the door. "Please. That's just Sam. He won't hurt you."

"Are you sure?" she asked, her heart rate picking up.

"Of course I'm sure. He can't go against an order." He turned again and looked at Sam, who stood up and walked back into the woods.

She took a deep breath. "He doesn't like me?"

Jake smirked and drew his hand back from the door. "He doesn't like me being so close to you when he doesn't know much about you. He's just worried."

She nodded, recalling her fear from earlier and knowing that if she had brought Nahuel or even Huilen with ,they wouldn't let her sit so close to a werewolf.

"Thank you for being so honest with me."

He just shrugged. "You'd know if I was lying, so what's the point?"

"I'm not reading your mind now."

"No? Why not?"

She shrugged. "Because I don't want to."

"So, you can control it?" He found that very interesting.

"Yeah, I can reach out. I generally don't have to reach out the way I did with you, but I have to direct my thoughts at someone for them to hear them. And I can hear them if they respond to me."

"Sam couldn't hear you earlier when you called for help; I wonder why that is."

Her eyes flickered to the trees and back to Jake. "If you can hear each other's thoughts, why couldn't he hear me from your thoughts?"

Jake shook his head. "I don't know."

She was about to suggest something when she was interrupted by her stomach. It gurgled and she put her hand over it, blushing as she looked at Jake.

"I haven't really eaten anything since before I left home."

"Why not? You were hunting earlier?"

"Yeah, but I didn't eat it. I was too scared." She bit her lip.

"You should go eat then. If it's okay, I'd like to stick around here."

She was surprised to find that she didn't want him to leave. "That would be okay."

He smiled and stood up. Before he knew what he was doing, he extended his hand to help her up. She stared at his hand for a few seconds before tentatively reaching out to him. He helped her stand, amazed at the warmth of her hand.

"You're warm," he commented before she drew back.

She blushed. "Yeah, I guess it's a half-human thing." She tried not to dwell on the way his hand felt wrapped around hers. It was warm like she'd expected, but rough and callused where she was used to soft and smooth. She liked it. She stared up at him for a second before taking a step back.

"Maybe we can talk some more later?" he asked. He didn't want to leave her, but he wasn't sure if it was just because she was alone and his instincts to protect her were causing it, or if it was because she was beautiful.

She smiled. "Sure."

He grinned and turned to go down the steps, running back into the forest before changing.

Renesmee closed the door and pushed back against it. She'd never met anyone like Jake, and it had nothing to do with him being a wolf. He was kind and warm, and while she had first been afraid of him, she knew she didn't have any reason to be now.

She shook her head and went into the kitchen. The raccoon had already started the first stages of decay and she knew it wasn't going to be as good as it would have been if she'd eaten it right away. She sighed and took it out of the basket to get it prepared.

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A/N: Thank you so much for reading! I'd love to know your thoughts!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Apologies for not updating this yesterday. It was my dad's 70th birthday, so we planned a big party for him. Great fun! I hope you enjoy the chapter!

* * *

RED

Chapter Five

 _So, you're officially insane,_ Sam thought when Jake changed.

 _Not quite._

Sam shook his head. _Do you even know what this is going to cause when the others come back? You know as well as I do that they're not going to stay away forever. They'll come back, smell us all over their land and probably attack._

 _Don't be ridiculous, Sam. She'd tell them not to. She's half vampire and they'd listen to her._

Sam huffed. _You think. And who's to say she's not going to tell them we were here picking fights?_

Jake turned to Sam and growled. _She wouldn't do that._

 _How do you know? You don't know her, Jake. She could have easily lied to you. Or better, she could have used whatever power she has to make you trust her._

Jake growled again and lunged, pinning Sam to the ground. _Don't say that. She's not like that, Sam. You don't get to talk about her like that._

Sam tried to relax under Jake; he didn't want to start a fight he wasn't sure he could finish. _Is that an order?_ he asked.

Jake huffed. _Yes. Go home, Sam. Tell Jared to come instead._ Jake moved to the side to let Sam up.

 _Jared?_

 _Are you questioning me?_

Sam lowered his head in capitulation before turning and running back toward his side of the forest.

 _Jake?_

Jake turned toward the house, sitting down in the tree line where he knew she'd be able to see him. He saw her peek out of the window.

 _I heard growling. Are you okay?_

 _Yes. Sam and I had a... disagreement. He's gone home, but another will be coming in his place._ He watched her eyes as they quickly scanned the trees.

 _I need to hunt again. Can I?_ She met his eyes again, full of fear.

 _I'm not your captor, Renesmee. You're safe to do whatever you need._ He hoped that someday she could trust him. She disappeared from the window and a few seconds later the door began to open slowly. She stepped out hesitantly, her red cloak draped around her delicately as she clutched the basket to her stomach.

 _Can I ask why you hunt with a basket?_

She smiled a small smile and started down the steps. _I don't eat like most vampires; I eat the meat as well as drink the blood,_ she scanned the trees as she walked slowly toward Jake. _I don't like doing that in the middle of the woods, though, so I carry it home to eat it._

Jake nodded, watching her as she came up to him. Her body was tense under the cloak like she was ready to run at any moment, but her eyes showed guarded trust. He bent down to be at her height as she came nearer.

"This is you, in wolf form?" she asked, standing close enough to touch him but afraid of reaching out. "You're huge."

He huffed out a laugh. _Of course. Can you imagine a normal sized wolf trying to take on a leech?_

Her smile faded immediately, and she took a step back.

 _I'm sorry,_ he thought quickly.

Her eyes were wide as they scanned the trees. "It's not that," she whispered. "There's something else out there."

Jake stood up and sniffed the air, listening intently.

 _Sam sent me; what's up?_

Jake laughed and turned back to Renesmee. _It's just Jared,_ he thought to her.

 _Of course it's just me; you okay out here?_

Renesmee started turning back to the house when a brown wolf appeared through the trees.

 _Yeah, we're fine. Don't scare her; she's harmless._

"Jake?" she asked, looking between him and the other wolf.

 _That's Jared, he won't hurt you either._

She stared at the other wolf as it came to sit next to Jake. She swallowed and looked up at Jake.

 _Promise,_ he thought, trying to comfort her.

 _Who are you talking to, Jake?_ Jared thought, staring at the girl. There was something different about her, but he didn't know what it was. He knew she was the girl Jake had followed the night before, and he knew she wasn't human.

 _The girl, Jared. I'll fill you in later._ Jake turned back to the girl. _Go hunt. Jared won't bother you._

Renesmee nodded and looked once more at the brown wolf, knowing she could trust him but unable to let down her guard. Her eyes flickered back up to Jake and she started off into the woods to find something to eat.

Jake watched her move through the trees and lay down on his stomach. Jared lay down next to him and just stared.

 _So, what's going on?_ Jared asked.

Jake quickly summarized everything that had happened and why he asked for Jared to come in Sam's place. _She can be trusted, Jared. I feel it in my bones._

 _You know I don't question your judgment, Jake, but what are we going to do when the leeches come back?_

Jake huffed and shook his head slightly. _I have no idea. I'll talk to her about it._

Jared nodded and put his head down on his paws.

 **~*~RED~*~**

Renesmee withdrew her mind as she walked into the forest. She was concerned about the disagreement Jake had with the black wolf and wondered why he was so quickly replaced. Did it mean she was in danger? She pushed her doubt down and took a deep breath. She trusted Jake, although a part of her said it was against her better judgment.

She stopped and closed her eyes, trying to concentrate on the hunt. She was hungry, and muffins would only keep her alive for so long. She inhaled slowly, testing the air and sniffing out anything that could be her prey.

When she returned from the hunt, she reached out to Jake again, but didn't say anything. She saw the two wolves together by the tree line. She took a breath to calm her instinctive nerves and walked up to the porch.

 _Renesmee?_

She turned to look at Jake, stopping at the door. _Yes?_

 _When you finish, can I talk to you? I need to ask you something important._

She blinked and furrowed her eyebrows. _Can't you ask me this way?_

 _I'd rather not._ He wanted to see her reaction, although he didn't tell her that.

She nodded. _Okay. I'll let you know._

He nodded his thanks and turned back to Jared.

 _It's weird; I can hear you, but I can't hear anything she's saying to you._

 _Sam couldn't either. I don't know why, but I'd like to figure it out._

* * *

A/N: Thanks so much for reading! Let me know your thoughts!


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Sorry I forgot to update this yesterday! I hope you enjoy the chapter!

* * *

RED

Chapter Six

Renesmee finished the last of her meal and stood up, wiping her mouth with a napkin. She was nervous about what Jake wanted to ask her. She didn't understand why he didn't want to ask her in thought. She put the carcass aside to bury it later and walked back to the window. Peeking out, she saw Jake and Jared lying on the ground in the tree line, just as they were when she entered the house. Jake looked up when the curtain moved and met her eyes. She stared at him for a moment, trying to decide why his pack couldn't hear her. Although the trust she had in him was growing, she was nervous about what Sam and the others might think of her. She didn't know how the wolf pack worked, and she wondered what exactly Jake had meant when he said that Sam couldn't go against an order. Jake may have ordered Sam to leave her alone, but was Jake physically able to stop an attack if the rest of his pack went against him?

She sighed and stepped back from the window, sliding down the wall to sit on the floor. She crawled the few feet to the door and reached out her mind.

 _I'm done, Jake._

 _Perfect. Can I come up there again?_ He didn't want to make her feel intruded on.

 _Yes._

He stood up and walked back into the woods to phase back. Once phased, he pulled on his shorts and petted Jared's head.

"I'll be right back; I'm just going up on the porch."

Jared grunted in acceptance and watched as Jake made his way up to the porch and sat down, tapping lightly on the door.

Renesmee opened the door only wide enough to see Jake. She could see the other wolf still in the tree line and opened the door a little wider, relieved that it was only Jake.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"My pack and I are concerned about something," he started, hoping he didn't offend her in any way. "When the vampires come back, they're going to smell us all over here. I wanted to ask you a favor."

Renesmee understood. "You want me to stop them from attacking you and your pack." It wasn't a question.

Jake heard the slight sarcasm in her tone, as though even she thought what he was asking was impossible. "I'm just asking you to explain to them why we were here, because I doubt any of them would listen to any of us."

Renesmee considered his request and sighed, looking up at him. "If they'll listen to me, I'll try."

Jake smiled. "Thank you."

"But what if they come back and catch your scent before I'm able to talk to them? They won't come here if they think they're being ambushed." She bit her lip and tried to think of something she could do to get the vampires to listen to her before going ballistic on the wolves.

"We should go back as soon as possible, then. The scent will fade."

She nodded, but an inexplicable sadness washed over her at the thought of him leaving. "What if they come back soon? Your scent is still strong, and they'll pick up on it if they come back within the next few years."

Jake pursed his lips and looked down at the wood on the porch, considering her point. He wanted to stay, even though he had accomplished the initial mission of finding out what she was and why she was here. Now he wanted to know why he could hear her when his pack couldn't even through his thoughts, and why he was so attracted to her. It couldn't be healthy to be attracted to a woman who was half-enemy, no matter how beautiful she was.

"If they come back soon, and we're still here…" he didn't finish the sentence, not sure how to.

"They'd kill you," she finished it for him. No matter their strength, two wolves would be nothing against eight vampires.

"I'd call back up."

She sighed and nodded. "It would be even then, wouldn't it? Eight vampires against eight wolves."

Jake looked up at her and furrowed his brow. "You wouldn't join them?" he asked.

She shivered and shook her head. "I couldn't. I'm not strong enough… and I don't think I could fight you even if I was." She looked up at him, afraid of what she was letting him see. Was it too much?

Jake smiled sadly, understanding. "I couldn't fight you either, you know."

She smiled, staying silent as she looked into his eyes. They shone with sincerity and she knew he was telling her the truth. He wouldn't fight her, even if she was the aggressor, just as she wouldn't fight him. She looked down briefly at his hand on the porch, close to the threshold as he rested his weight on it. She reached out tentatively and touched the skin over his knuckles. She looked back up at him, meeting his eyes and asking silently, without direct thought, if this was okay. His eyes showed trust and hope as she put her palm down on the back of his hand. He shifted his weight slightly; enough to rest his back against the door jamb and turn his hand over, curling his fingers around hers. She smiled again, running her thumb over his knuckles and memorizing the calluses.

Jake's head jerked up when Jared growled and leapt to his feet. Renesmee gasped and immediately pulled her hand back from Jake's, watching the wolf closely with wide eyes. Jared growled again before looking at Jake with a whimper.

"There's a vampire here," Jake explained, getting to his feet hastily. Renesmee stood and held on to the door to steady herself.

"What do I do?" she asked, not sure how to speak to these new vampires.

"I don't know yet. Hang tight, talk to me in thought." With that, he jumped off the porch and ran to Jared, phasing on the way.

Renesmee immediately reached out to him. _Jake, be careful. Please!_

Jake turned to look at her and nodded once before turning back to look for the vampires Jared had picked up on.

Renesmee watched as the wolves sniffed the air and searched, standing so they were facing the opposite direction of one another. She sniffed the air as well and caught a scent different from any that she'd smelled so far.

Everything was quiet and still for a few seconds as everyone tried to figure out where the vampires were. Renesmee's heart was pounding; she was terrified that these were the owners of the house and they wouldn't listen to her before attacking. How long would it take Jake's reinforcements to show up? Long enough for the vampires to obliterate Jake and Jared, she had no doubt. She had to stop them, even for a second, to make them listen to her.

There was a slight rustle of wind as a new body flew into the clearing and stopped ten feet from the wolves. Renesmee looked at the vampire; it was not one that she recognized, even from Joham's thoughts. This one was a tall but heavy-built female with long black hair pulled back into a pony tail at the base of her neck.

 _Red eyes,_ Jared thought. _Not one we have a treaty with._

Jake agreed and snarled at the vampire as another appeared, stopping beside the female. The second vampire was a male, just as tall with wild blonde hair that went to his shoulders.

 _Jake!_ Renesmee was terrified of what would happen if he started getting defensive before they had a chance to talk.

 _Renesmee…_ Jake was going to explain to her that these were not the vampires they needed to worry about, but before he had a chance, the black-haired female crouched down, getting ready to spring.

Renesmee drew her mind back in a panic and bolted down the steps to put herself between the vampires and the wolves.

"Wait!" she screamed, holding her hands out. "Please don't hurt them!"

The female stood back up straight, amused at this girl's attempt to stop her. She took a breath and stopped, her smile fading.

"You're human?" she asked, her voice low but beautiful.

"Half. I'm half vampire. Please, just don't hurt the wolves. They're my friends."

"You have blood in your veins. It smells good."

Jake growled, baring his teeth, and took a step closer to Renesmee.

Renesmee was shocked, taking a step back toward Jake. "But I'm not really human."

The blond man shrugged. "It doesn't matter," he said, his voice rougher than Renesmee would have thought a vampire's voice should be. "It's still blood."

The two vampires crouched down, preparing to spring. Jake didn't wait for either to move. He pushed Renesmee out of the way and launched at the female vampire. Following his Alpha, Jared attacked as well, going after the male.

Renesmee hit the ground a few feet from the base of the steps and sat up as quickly as she could. She couldn't take her eyes off the scene in front of her as Jake and Jared ripped limbs from the vampires. She'd never seen anything so vicious and she felt her throat begin closing with fear that either of the wolves would get hurt, especially Jake.

It was over almost as quickly as it had begun and Renesmee reached out to Jake as he looked over at her over a pile of rubble.

 _Are you okay?!_ she demanded.

Jake nodded. _Don't worry about me. Do you have something to start a fire?_

She blinked at the odd question and shook her head. _There might be something in the house._

She forced herself to stand up and move up the steps, searching the drawers for something; a lighter, a box of matches, anything. She finally found a small box of matches and took it out to him.

 _Go back inside, please, and wait for me._

She nodded and went back inside, closing the door behind her. She sat down and pulled her knees up to her chest. She felt a strange shift in the presence in her head and almost panicked.

 _Jake?_ she asked.

 _Still here. I just changed back to human. Don't come outside, please. Stay inside._

She acknowledged the request and hugged her knees tighter.

 _What happened? I was trying to talk to them?_ She was confused about why the vampires thought she'd be food.

She could practically feel his heavy sigh. _They were not the vampires that we had a treaty with. The ones we have a treaty with have gold eyes. These guys had red eyes. It means that they hunt humans, and we're free to kill them. I tried to explain, but I don't think you heard me._

She shook her head. _I panicked. I'm sorry._

 _Don't worry about it._

She took a deep breath to try to calm her heart down. She heard the fire begin crackling and smelled the burning vampire flesh, but she still didn't dare move. A minute later, the presence in her mind shifted again and she knew he'd changed back to a wolf.

 _You can come out now if you want._

* * *

A/N: Thanks so much for reading! I'd love to know your thoughts.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Thank you so much for all of the reviews I've gotten lately! I'm so happy to see people enjoying this story. I hope y'all like this chapter!

* * *

RED

Chapter Seven

Renesmee took a deep breath and stood up to open the door. Jake and Jared sat on either side of the flames, Jake closer to her. Jake turned to look at her and she smiled a little. She wasn't sure she wanted to watch the flames, but she sat down on the steps to be closer to Jake. She noticed her hands were still shaking.

 _Are you okay?_ Jake asked, noticing her shaking as well.

 _I think so._ She wasn't sure how okay she was yet. Jake went to her, laying his enormous head on the step next to her. She reached out to pet the fur on his face, just between his eyes. _Thank you for what you did, Jake._

Jake closed his eyes and let her pet him. _Anytime. That feels good, by the way._

She smiled and kept up her petting motion. _Why didn't you want me to come outside earlier?_

Jake opened his eyes and looked at her, a little wary, but decided to be upfront about it. _The clothes I had on were all I had with me._ He closed his eyes again.

She nodded in understanding. There were still scraps of his shorts on the ground where he'd phased. They were silent as they watched the flames and the purple smoke rising. She started playing with the fur on top of his head, running her fingers through it absentmindedly.

 _Do you think the other vampires will ever come back?_ she asked.

 _I don't know. We haven't heard anything from them in a while, but we don't usually keep constant contact either. There have been times in the past where they've left for a generation or two before coming back. It's possible that they'll be back._

She nodded again, thinking about her trip. She couldn't feel that her traveling was in vain when she'd met Jake, but she was disappointed that she wasn't able to find any information on her mother. She sighed, not sure what to do now.

 _I don't want to leave,_ she thought, watching her fingers in his fur.

 _Then don't._

 _I can't stay here, Jake. What if other red-eyed vampires come and you're not here? I'm not strong enough to fight them off and I can't expect you to come to my rescue every time._

Jake opened his eyes again to look up at her. He didn't want her to leave but wasn't sure how to ask her to stay. She was right; she couldn't stay at this house. He couldn't stay here all the time to protect her, no matter how much he might want to, and she couldn't stay in a house that didn't belong to her. There was no guarantee that the vampires they had a treaty with would accept her staying at their house. They might consider her a trespasser and attack based on that. He couldn't ask her to stay in the house.

 _Jared,_ Jake said, looking over at the other wolf. Jared turned to look at him. _Renesmee's concerned about staying here, but she doesn't want to leave the area. How opposed do you think the others would be to having her stay on the reservation?_

 _With us?_ Jared asked, clarifying.

Renesmee watched the two wolves, knowing they were communicating but not able to hear either of them. She knew now that she could only hear Jake when she reached out to him and he addressed her directly. She waited patiently knowing Jake would explain when he was finished.

 _Yes, with us._

Jared thought about it; he knew Sam would throw a fit about it. But he couldn't deny the fact that he knew without a doubt that Renesmee was just as trustworthy as Jake said she was. Her jumping in front of the other vampires begging them to not hurt the wolves was all the proof Jared would ever need. The other pack members would be convinced and would accept her.

 _They might not like it at first, but I know they'd come around in time. Sam might be the hardest to convince, but you know he couldn't hurt her._

Jake knew that even if the rest of the pack didn't accept her, they couldn't do anything about it because he was Alpha, but he wanted to make sure that at least Jared could accept her now that he'd met her. It alleviated some of the tension of asking her to stay with him.

 _Renesmee,_ Jake started, looking up at her. She met his eyes and smiled. _Would you consider staying on the reservation with the pack?_

Renesmee was surprised by his question, but she thought about what he asked. She glanced over at Jared and saw him looking at her.

 _What about your pack?_ she asked, looking back at Jake.

 _Jared likes you. And the others will come around._

She nodded. _Sam?_

 _Sam won't hurt you. He's just stubborn, that's all. Once he sees that you really are what I said you are, he'll calm down._

She took a deep breath and considered staying with Jake. As she looked at him and twisted his fur gently in her fingers, she realized how much she wanted to stay with him. She hadn't known him long, but she realized that she felt more at home here with Jake than she ever had with Nahuel. She didn't even miss him, and it almost surprised her.

 _How long can I stay?_

 _As long as you want._

She smiled. _Don't say that; I'll say that I want to stay forever._

 _Then stay forever._

Her smile faded and she searched his eyes, looking for any trickery or sign that he wasn't serious. Instead, she saw that he was being sincere.

 _Do you want me to stay forever?_ she asked hesitantly. She was afraid that he'd say no, but equally afraid that the answer was yes.

 _Yes,_ he said simply.

She swallowed, unable to move her eyes from his. _Okay._ She finally closed her eyes.

 _Jared, will you go back and tell everyone to expect her please?_

Jared acknowledged and stood up, disappearing into the forest.

Jake stayed where he was, still enjoying her fingers playing with his fur. He hoped that she trusted him enough to be comfortable with him.

 _Where is he going?_ she asked, trying not to think about what she was going to do.

 _To tell the rest of the pack you're coming._

She nodded and took a deep breath to try to calm her nerves. She turned to the fire and watched the smoke rise. It was close to burning out and the smoke was getting heavier, darker. She realized when she looked up that it was starting to get dark.

 _When will we go?_ She looked back down at him.

 _Whenever you want._ He didn't want to push her, but he did want to go back before the next day.

She sighed and it turned into a yawn. _I guess the sooner we get it over with, the sooner I can sleep._ She smiled. He stood up and went to the fire. She watched him as he scratched through the ashes and put out any flames that might have lingered.

 _Are you ready?_ he asked.

She nodded. _I just need to get my things._ She went back into the house and got her basket, putting the rest of the muffins back inside. She tried to make sure everything was the same as it was when she'd arrived before she left and closed the door behind her. Jake was sitting at the base of the steps waiting for her. She took a deep breath and joined him. He stood up and she looked up at him, reaching out to touch the fur on his front leg.

 _Okay, I'm ready._

He nodded and led the way into the trees. She followed, staying right beside him and holding his fur. She was terrified of what the other wolves would think of her even though Jake seemed so confident that they would at least accept her.

They didn't rush and it was dark by the time they reached the river. Renesmee was getting more exhausted by the moment, hoping the confrontation with the wolves didn't get too crazy. She'd fall asleep in the middle of it, and she wasn't sure if that would be a good thing.

Jake noticed her steps getting slower and she nearly tripped once. Her hand in his fur gripped tightly and she didn't fall, but he was starting to get concerned for her.

 _Are you all right?_ He asked, slowing his steps. She looked up at him and he could see the weariness in her face. She nodded, but he wasn't convinced. He stopped and crouched down. _Want a ride?_

She smiled and accepted the ride gratefully. She tried not to over think anything as she climbed onto his back and nestled herself between his shoulder blades. _Thank you, Jake,_ she thought, her thoughts slower than usual.

 _You're welcome. You should be able to sleep when we get there. I'll make sure no one bothers you._

She nodded and relaxed against him, laying her head on his neck. She concentrated on the sound of his heartbeat and his breathing as he moved, his body shifting under her with each step. She closed her eyes but tried to stay conscious as they moved closer to the reservation.

* * *

A/N: Thank you for reading! I'd love to know your thoughts.


	8. Chapter 8

RED

Chapter Eight

Jake caught sight of Jared in the trees just outside the reservation. He was in wolf form to report that his assignment had been successful. Most of the other wolves were excited to meet the girl. Jake rolled his eyes; he was sure he knew of at least one that would assume Jake was in love with the girl. He tried not to make any hurried or jarring movements as he crouched down and asked Jared to take Renesmee off his back. He needed to phase and get her bed ready for her.

Jared acknowledged and phased back, pulling on his pants before gently picking up Renesmee. She stirred slightly but didn't wake.

"Is this her?" Quil asked when Jared came out of the trees.

"Yes, be quiet. She's sleeping."

Quil nodded and looked at the girl. "She's pretty." He wasn't sure why that surprised him. Jared nodded and carried her to Jake's house.

She stirred again when he set her on the couch, her eyes squeezing shut before opening slightly. She wasn't sure where she was, but the last thing she remembered was lying on Jake in the dark forest. She gasped and sat up, suddenly terrified of the two strangers in front of her. Neither one was Jake, but they both had a strange resemblance to him and she knew they were werewolves.

"Hey, calm down. I'm Jared," Jared put his hand on his chest, "and that's Quil. Jake'll be here in just a sec."

Renesmee tried to get her heart to calm down. She nodded and closed her eyes tightly, trying to breathe normally.

Jared wasn't sure what to do, but he had a feeling that Jake was the only one she really trusted and having him and Quil there was not helping her. He pushed Quil's shoulder and left the room, hoping to let her calm down. They walked down the hall to see Jake in the guest bedroom making the bed.

"She's on the couch," Jared said, "and she's scared."

Jake stood up, dropping the sheet he had. "You woke her up?"

Jared shrugged. "I didn't mean to; she woke up when I put her down."

Jake nodded and turned back to the bed. He finished with the blankets and turned to the door. "You guys can leave. Tomorrow's probably going to be difficult for her; I want her to be comfortable here."

Jared and Quil nodded and left. Jake took a breath and went out to the living room where Renesmee was sitting on the couch with her knees pulled up to her chest. He sat down beside her and offered his hand. She took it and squeezed tightly.

"How are you?" he asked.

She looked over at him and shrugged. "I'm okay."

He nodded. "Tired?"

She couldn't deny it and nodded, fighting the urge to lean on him again.

"I have the guest bedroom ready for you. Come on; I'll show you." He stood up and tugged her hand gently. She stood up with him and kept hold of his hand as they walked down the hall. He stopped at the first door on the left and held out his hand, letting her go in first.

Renesmee looked around the room without letting go of Jake's hand. She turned back to him and smiled. "Thank you so much, Jake. You've been kinder to me than I could have hoped for."

He smiled and pulled her back to him slowly, giving her a chance to pull away. When she didn't protest or try to pull back, he hugged her gently. "You're safe here, Renesmee. I promise."

Renesmee gave in and rested against Jake, listening to his heartbeat, and noticing how similar it was to his heartbeat as a wolf. It relaxed her further and she took a deep breath. "I feel safe here."

"Good. Why don't you go to bed and get some sleep? The rest of the pack is excited to meet you tomorrow."

She nodded and pulled away from him reluctantly. Jake released her and took a step back. He watched her take off her cloak and set it gingerly on the end of the bed. She turned to look at him and smiled timidly.

"I'll be just down the hall if you need anything, okay?" he said, taking another step back. She nodded and he closed the door, leaving her to go to bed.

 **~*~RED~*~**

Renesmee squeezed her eyes shut and pulled the blanket over her face, trying to block out the light that was coming in through the window. She wasn't ready to wake up yet. She had slept better in Jake's guest bedroom than she had in what felt like ages. After a few minutes, she remembered that she was going to meet Jake's pack in the human form today, and she was instantly nervous. She knew she wasn't going to be able to go back to sleep and sighed.

She sat up slowly and stretched. Looking around the room with fresh eyes, she had to smile at the little things that seemed so normal in a werewolf's house. There was a small table beside the bed with a picture of a younger-looking Jake with an older man that Renesmee assumed was his dad. The man was in a wheelchair and Jake had long hair. She smiled, noticing how the long hair looked good on him. She sighed and got up, expecting to put on her cloak and find Jake.

Her cloak was not at the end of the bed where she had left it. In its place was a pile of clothing, neatly folded. She bit her lip, not sure if the clothing meant she should change. She picked up the shirt and sniffed it. It smelled feminine, but still warm and rich like Jake. She furrowed her brow, wondering if he had a girlfriend or a wife. The clothing was obviously meant for her, so she changed quickly surprised at how well they fit. They were a little big, but she doubted anyone would notice. She didn't think about whose clothes she was wearing as she slowly opened the door and stepped out.

"Jake?" she called softly. She didn't want to wander through the house, partly afraid of what she would find if she did. She heard movement and bit her lip.

"Good morning," Jake said when he rounded the corner. "How did you sleep?" He was happy that she seemed to accept the clothes he'd given her.

She shrugged. "Pretty good. Um, thank you for the clothes," she said, picking at the shirt she had on.

He smiled. "You're welcome. But really, you should thank Leah. You'll meet her today."

Renesmee looked down. "Is she your girlfriend or something?" she asked, trying hard to keep the bitterness out of her tone.

Jake almost laughed out loud, but he could tell that somehow the thought of Leah being his girlfriend upset Renesmee. He wasn't sure why he liked that. "No, she's not. She's one of my pack."

Renesmee smiled and looked up at him, relieved but unwilling to dissect the reason for her relief. "Okay."

"Are you hungry?" he asked, impatient to get the day started. His pack—all except Sam—was excited and eager to meet her, and he was just as eager to get the introductions out of the way. He wasn't sure how excited Renesmee was to meet the rest of the pack, but he hoped she would relax once she realized they wouldn't hurt her.

She nodded and took a deep breath. She could tell Jake was excited about something; he kept shifting his weight like he couldn't stand still.

"What would you like? Can you eat normal food?" He hadn't even thought about what she would need to eat.

She nodded slowly. "I can, but I usually don't. There's a small bakery in the village near where I stayed with Nahuel and I usually get bread or muffins there when I want something more than just meat and blood."

He remembered the smell of the muffins in her basket and nodded. "Your basket is outside; you could have those if you want. Or you're welcome to anything I've got here."

She pursed her lips and tried to decide what she wanted. She didn't want to impose and take Jacob's food, but she also didn't want to eat her muffins. "If it's okay, I'd like to try something new."

Jake smiled. "Come see if there's anything you want."

He led the way to the kitchen and she wrapped her arms around her stomach, trying to hide herself a little. She was used to having her cloak on and she felt more exposed now than usual. "Do you know where my cloak is?" she asked when they entered the kitchen.

"Yes, Jared's wife, Kim, is washing it for you. She thought you'd like it better clean."

She nodded and looked around the kitchen. It was bright from the light coming in through a sliding glass door just off to the side of the kitchen. The cupboards were pale wood and she watched him as he looked around.

"What do you usually eat in the morning?" she asked, peeking under his arm to see inside one of the cupboards. It was full of boxes.

He shrugged. "I'm usually lazy and just grab a bowl of cereal."

She nodded and looked up at him. "Can I try that?"

He smiled down at her. "Sure; what do you want? Lucky Charms or Cocoa Puffs?"

"Surprise me."

"You could mix them together, too. That's really good." He got a bowl out for her and set it on the counter.

"Um, sure." She wasn't sure if she was even going to like this, but she figured she could give it a shot. She wanted to fit in here and if that meant eating strange foods like Lucky Charms, she'd do it. She watched him as he expertly combined the cereals and poured milk in the bowl for her. Then he handed it to her and had her sit down at the table to eat.

She poked at the cereal with her spoon, aware of him watching her. She wasn't used to people watching her eat and she peeked up at him, a little embarrassed. He smiled at her. She finally dug out a spoonful and put it in her mouth.

"When you're done eating we'll go over to Jared's and get your cloak, then we're having a barbecue thing at Quil's. You can meet everyone there, okay?"

She nodded as she chewed, furrowing her brow. She wasn't sure what to think of the sweet, crunchy cereal. It wasn't horrible, though, so she swallowed and looked up at Jake. He smiled at her.

"Verdict?"

She smirked. "I suppose it's edible."

He chuckled and got up to let her eat in peace. "I'll be outside if you need anything."

She nodded and turned back to the bowl. When she was finished, she set her bowl in the sink and wrapped her arms around her stomach again as she went outside to find Jake. She found her basket on the step and picked it up, holding in front of her and feeling a little more shielded. She smiled and walked around, looking for Jake.

She didn't see him at first, but she looked around at all of the trees. She was used to being surrounded by trees, but the dense rainforest she was used to was different from the mossy forest of the Quileute reservation. The smell was softer yet somehow warmer and she knew she'd find different kinds of animals to hunt here.

"All done?" she heard Jake ask. She looked over at him and nodded.

"Yeah."

He walked over to her. "Do you want to head over to Jared's now?"

She nodded; she really wanted her cloak back. She wondered if she'd ever be comfortable here without it. She knew if it was just Jake she'd get there eventually, but with everyone else there it was harder to say.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Thank you guys for reading! This is as much of the story as I have written so far, so updates may not come out every week anymore. I'll do my best to keep them somewhat steady. Enjoy!

* * *

RED

Chapter Nine

They were silent as they walked to Jared's house, but as they got closer Renesmee began getting more nervous. She reached out and grabbed Jake's hand, looking up at him quickly to make sure he was okay with it. He squeezed her fingers and smiled down at her but didn't comment on it as they walked.

Jake knocked on the door and Renesmee tried to hide behind him. He allowed it for the moment but hoped she wouldn't be so scared to meet everyone else.

"It's just Jared," he said softly to her, "You know him."

She nodded and swallowed, her heartbeat picking up pace as the door opened.

"Well, well, look what we have here," a female voice answered. "Come on in."

Jake went in and Renesmee followed only because Jake still had her hand and she had to. She peeked around her at the wooden house only furnished enough to not look bare. There was a small couch and a TV in the living room along with a bookcase and a china cabinet, and one picture on the wall of a wedding day. Renesmee recognized the man as Jared and the woman in the picture was the woman standing before her now.

"You must be Renesmee. I'm Kim." Kim held out her hand and Renesmee reluctantly let go of Jake's to shake hers.

"Hi Kim." Renesmee reached out to Jake in thought.

 _Is this okay? I need to have some kind of connection to you._

Jake smiled. _No problem. Whatever makes you more comfortable._

Renesmee nodded and smiled at Kim.

"It's nice to meet you. I have your cloak over here; it's all washed for you." Kim went to get the cloak and handed it to Renesmee.

"Thank you, Kim," Renesmee said as she put her basket down and put the cloak on. She instantly felt safer.

"No problem. So, are we heading over to Quil's?" she asked Jake, "Jared was saying something about a barbecue to introduce everyone to Renesmee."

Jake nodded. "Yep. I hear everyone's excited to meet her." He smiled at Renesmee and she blushed.

Kim laughed as they all walked out the door. "I was pretty intrigued. Of course, Jared had already been out there with you. By the way, don't ever do that to me again. Sam came back and was almost frantic when he said you needed Jared. I thought you were being killed or something."

Jake laughed. "Sorry. Sam and I had a disagreement, so I sent him home and asked for a replacement. That's all."

Renesmee stayed silent as she watched the exchange between Kim and Jake, following behind them a few steps. She kept her mental connection with Jake just to feel secure.

Kim nodded. "What was the disagreement about?"

Jake shrugged. "He didn't feel as confident as I did in Renesmee's fidelity."

Kim nodded again, and Jake looked behind him.

"Doing okay?" he asked.

Renesmee nodded. _Doing great. Do I have to do a lot of talking to people I don't know?_

Jake shook his head. _No, you don't. Just say hi, and you can stick by me if you want._

She smiled and nodded again. _Thank you._

Kim gave Jake a strange look, raising one eyebrow. "What was that?"

Jake smirked. "She can talk to me in thought."

Renesmee smiled and looked at Kim. _I have a gift; I can project thoughts._

Kim smiled brightly and turned look at Renesmee, walking backward. "That is so cool! How do you do that?"

Renesmee shrugged. "I don't know. I just can."

Kim turned back around and nodded. "Does Jared know about that?"

Jake nodded. "Yeah. She can't talk to him, though. Can you?" he asked, looking at Renesmee.

Renesmee shook her head. "No, just you. As far as the werewolves are concerned, anyway. I can talk to Kim. I can to most humans, though."

Jake nodded. "Maybe it's just because I'm Alpha?"

Renesmee shrugged. The conversation was forgotten when they got closer to Quil's house and the smell of barbecued meat and other food made both Jake and Kim get excited. Renesmee smiled, she loved seeing Jake smile.

They walked into the back yard of a light blue house. The yard was huge and already filled with people.

Although Renesmee knew that there were eight werewolves altogether, it was still a little surprising to see so many huge men that looked so similar to Jake in one place. They weren't all there yet, it seemed. So far five large men, including Jake, were there. It made her feel a little intimidated. She stepped forward to place herself next to him and took his hand again.

The rest of the people there looked more like Kim; angular yet smooth Native American features, smaller statures, and nowhere near as intimidating as the werewolves.

As Jake took her around and introduced her to people, she found herself beginning to relax a little more. Although she kept her mental connection to Jake, she didn't feel the need to speak in thought. After meeting several people, they sat at one of the four picnic tables in the yard. The kids running around didn't seem scared, even though she was pretty sure they knew what she was.

"Do you drink blood?" a young boy asked as he ran up to her.

She looked at Jake before she answered. "Yes, sometimes." They definitely knew about her.

"Renesmee, this is Caleb. He's Quil's youngest son."

She smiled at the boy. She'd met his dad; he was manning the barbecue.

A few other kids asked her similar questions. It was refreshing to her to see them curious rather than afraid. Their parents clearly weren't worried about them being close to her, either. She could only assume it was because there were so many werewolves around to protect them should she turn into a monster.

She noticed Sam at the back of the yard with a woman by his side. Sam glared, but the woman smiled. Renesmee was a little concerned to see half of her face scarred.

"Who is that?" she asked, tugging lightly on Jake's hand.

Jake turned to see what she was referring to. He smiled and waved. "That's Sam and his wife, Emily."

"What happened to her?"

Jake looked down at her and smiled tightly. "It's not something Sam likes us to talk about. Do you mind if I let Em tell you when she's ready?"

"No, that's fine."

He squeezed her hand. "Thanks. And try not to stare at her; it really bugs Sam."

"I think my being here really bugs him."

He snickered. "Yeah, it does. Don't worry, okay?"

She smiled up at him. "I'm not."

"Hey, everybody!" A new voice yelled. "The party can start; I'm here now."

Renesmee looked over to see another werewolf enter the yard. This one had longer hair than the others and was holding up a bottle.

Jake groaned. "I had hoped he wouldn't do this grand entrance thing, but Embry doesn't do subtle."

She looked up at him quizzically. "What do you mean?"

Before he could answer, Embry came up to them. They both stood up.

"So, is this your new girlfriend?"

Renesmee looked him over. He smelled like alcohol and warmth. It was odd.

"No. This is Renesmee, our new _guest_." He gave Embry a look that said he'd better be polite.

Embry caught the hint. "Nice to meet you, Red."

She furrowed her brow. "No, it's Renesmee."

Embry nodded. "That's too many letters. Is it okay if I call you Red instead?"

She'd never had a nickname before. "I…I guess?"

Jake squeezed her fingers. "Say no if it bothers you."

The more she thought about it, the more she actually kind of liked it. She _was_ Red. She had red hair and a red cloak, and it was her favorite color. "It's okay."

Embry grinned widely. "Red it is. How you likin' the rez so far?"

She shrugged. "Everyone has been very nice to me."

"Where's Leah?" Jake asked. "I kinda thought she'd be here by now."

Embry shrugged. "You know she avoids things where Sam'll be there. She'll be here when she's ready to face him."

Jake nodded. He looked around at everyone milling around. It made him happy to see his pack and his tribe doing as well as they were. The only ones at this shindig were his pack and those directly related that needed to know about pack business. He didn't like thinking about Renesmee as pack business; her being here was the business, he told himself.

"Does he not like having a girl in the pack?" Renesmee asked.

"It ain't that, Red," Embry answered. "They used to be an item, before Sam started shifting. When he did—"

"Embry, let Leah tell her if she wants her to know," Jake cut in.

Embry scowled. "She has a right to know."

Jake shook his head. "It's not pack business; you don't even have a right to know. You only know because she can't keep her thoughts out of your head when we're all wolves."

Renesmee was confused. She looked at Jake questioningly. _What is it?_ she asked in thought.

 _It's about Leah and Sam's relationship. If Leah wants you to know, she'll tell you._

She nodded. She could handle that.

"Whoa. What was that. Did she just Jedi you or something?"

Jake laughed. "She can talk to me in her thoughts."

"Cool. Do me, Red." He stared at her, waiting for something to come at him.

She tried to reach out to him, focusing intently on being heard. Jake winced.

"Damn, you can really scream. That hurt."

Renesmee pulled back her connection. "I'm sorry. Are you okay?"

Embry was confused. "I didn't hear anything."

"I think that's because you're part of his pack. I can talk to humans and Jake, but I can't talk to the other werewolves."

Jake nodded. "I'm fine. Can we not try that again for a while?" He rubbed his temples, already getting a headache. It was an unfamiliar sensation to him.

Renesmee nodded. "Yeah, I'll stick to you and humans."


End file.
